


Between the Lines

by boobtuber1978



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2017-12-10 16:36:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 20,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/788158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boobtuber1978/pseuds/boobtuber1978
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's hard to summarize something that has no clear map.<br/>This is a Myka/H.G. story with the others thrown in a little. Myka is lost, figuratively, and missing, literally. Someone has to find her.<br/>Time Frame: After 401 – 24 hour rewind. But before 402. I’ve kind of taken my own interpretation as to where HG is/was. And like with all my stories…no idea where this is going. The characters drive it. Oh and Leena isn't dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The summary is just a starting point...the whole thing could change at any point.
> 
> *All mistakes, whether typos, grammatical, plotline, continuity, etc., are my own and I take full responsibility.*  
> *All words, actions, thoughts of these, already established, characters are mine.*

It was still a few hours before the sun would peak over the horizon but Myka was awake and had been all night. Her mind had been on overdrive for days. And why wouldn’t it be? H.G. Wells sacrificed herself to save them and Myka, this time, couldn’t stepped between the Brit and her mission.

She’d never felt so vulnerable and exposed since that cold, hard gun barrel was pressed to her forehead. Helena could have easily pulled the trigger that day but she didn’t and since they had formed a relationship that went beyond definition.

But when Myka saw Helena standing outside of the protective field, the time bomb quickly ticking to zero she realized what was happening and her heart shattered into a million pieces.

And in that moment her life didn’t pass before her eyes like people always described. It wasn’t her past that haunted her in those minutes…seconds. It was her future. The unknown.

In those final seconds everything went black. And when the field was broken and they observed the destroyed warehouse, the only thing Myka could think about was Helena. The sacrifice she made. The look on her face. The complete emptiness Myka felt was unlike anything she’d experienced before. Nothing seemed real anymore until Artie used Barbosa’s pocket watch and they were able to go back and change the events of the prior 24 hours including the destruction of the warehouse and H.G. perishing in its wake.

Last time, the regents had whisked Helena away before she could find out why she wanted to end the world. But truth be told, Myka knew why. She wasn’t a mother but she could feel the pain H.G. was in from losing her daughter. A pain that lasted over a century. It had to be pure torture having her body bronzed while her brain and memories continued to churn.

This time, despite Helena saving their lives, the Regents again sent Helena away before Myka had a chance to talk with her. She desperately needed that connection. So much had happened and Myka was having a truly tough time wrapping her head around it all. She needed a friend and Pete’s playfulness wouldn’t cut it this time. She needed someone who would understand what it was like to have your world ripped out from under you. Helena certainly understood that.

Just in the last 12 hours had Myka been absorbed with overflowing thoughts. She wondered what Helena must be feeling after the explosion. How alone she must have felt. She could only imagine suffering through such for over 100 years. So many times she wanted to reach out to Helena. To comfort her. To be a friend. But how could she bring any solace to the great H.G. Wells? She’d be nothing by a hypocrite if she tried to give advice to Helena when her own inner being was in such turmoil.

In those hours she’d determined that it would be best for her and her colleagues if she left. She’d tried escaping before but this time it was deeper. Now it was about her future. Things around the warehouse were starting to get to her and she didn’t want to put the lives of her friends in jeopardy due to her ineptness or insecurities.

So with a canvas satchel over her shoulder and a black duffle gripped in hand, she silently left Leena’s and the warehouse behind. It wasn’t as heartbreaking as it was before. She didn’t speed away with tears in her eyes. This time she was ready for a change and a new beginning. She’d traveled the world looking for artifacts but Myka wanted now to search out herself.

* * *

 

It wasn’t the sunlight streaming through the windows that woke Pete up that morning. No, it was the dozens of little feather ends prickling the sides of his face through the case of the goose-down pillow Myka had bought him. He hated that pillow but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings so he slept on it each night. And each morning he woke to the sharp needles sticking him in the head or face or neck.

He rubbed the side of his face with his bare hand. He desperately needed to shave but first breakfast. Pete couldn’t do anything before nourishing his body. And really it wasn’t about nourishment. He truly loved food. And it loved him.

Pete hurriedly brushed his teeth and pulled on a worn pair of blue jeans and a blue Captain America t-shirt from his closet. He practically danced out of his room to the smell of glorious bacon and pancakes. His stomach growled as he stepped down the hall to Myka’s door.

He rapped his knuckles against the wooden door. “Hey, Mykes. Wake up. Breakfast is served!” He waited a moment for her to answer, grumble or throw a shoe at the door. But there was no response or noise. Maybe she was already downstairs, he thought. So he continued on his merry way to the dining room to dive into the hot meal.

Everyone, Leena, Claudia, and Artie, was seated around the table happily filling their plates and carrying on mindless conversation.

Without a word of greeting, Pete started piling the crispy bacon goodness on his plate with a stack of fluffy pancakes and drowning both in warm maple syrup.

“Good morning to you too, Mr. Sunshine.” Claudia deadpanned his way.

Pete muttered a good morning through chews of bacon.

“Is Myka joining us this morning?” Leena asked.

No one had seen or heard from her that morning and after a losing game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with Claudia, Pete trudged back upstairs to Myka’s room.

He knocked again this time louder. “Myka! Are you okay? Everyone wants to know if you’re coming down to breakfast.” He knocked again and waited but no response. “I’m coming in. I hope you’re decent. We wouldn’t want any awkward nakedness before pancakes.” Pete snickered.

He pushed the door open and walked into the empty room. He noted the bed that hadn’t been slept in. “Myka?” But she was nowhere to be found. Finally he saw the piece of paper on top of the desk.

_Dear Pete,_

_I write this to you because 1) I know you’re probably the one who drew the short straw to look for me and 2) you’re my best friend. And as you know those are hard to come by for me._

Now he was truly perplexed. Myka had never gotten sappy with him before. Well not for more than a few minutes. But he usually made a stupid joke and moved on.

_I don’t know how else to say it but I had to leave._

Again?, he thought.

_Yes, again. But this time I have to find out who I am. Who Myka Bering is. I’ve been living an adventure that almost seems to be make-believe. Now I need to see what I’m really worth…without you holding my hand. If I don’t see you again know that you’re the best man I’ve ever known._

_Thank you, Pete, for being my friend and my protector even though you know I can kick your butt. :)_

**_“If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well  
It were done quickly” -MacBeth_ **

_XO, Myka._

A strained smiled pulled across his mouth as the knot in his stomach grew large and heavy. He sat down on the edge of the bed and just held the note in his hands. In his heart, he knew this time it was different. Myka had always been the serious, by-the-book one and he often wondered when she would let her hair down. But he never thought she’d leave again.

After a few minutes he stood, crumbled the note in his hand and shoved it in his front jeans pocket. Looking around the room again he noticed her stack of books gone from the bedside table. It was then when the magnitude of the situation hit him.

She was gone. His Myka was gone. Again.

The conversation downstairs was still going strong. Claudia and Artie, bickering about warehouse inventory, stopped midsentence when Pete appeared in the doorway. They could tell right away that something was wrong.

“What’s wrong?” Artie asked as he stood from the table.

“Myka. She’s gone.” Pete blinked rapidly.

Claudia’s mouth fell open.

“What do you mean ‘gone’?” Artie asked another question.

Pete cleared his throat. “She left a note, Artie. She took off…again.” He paused and lowered his voice. “And she’s not coming back.”

He didn’t wait for a response or any more questions. The pain was burning his chest from the inside out. Pete grabbed his coat from the hook by the door and got out of the B&B as quickly as he could. The air was starting to suffocate him.

Change was not always a good thing for Pete. Upsetting the balance of things easily caused his life to teeter totter. The past few days wrecked havoc on him and now this.

He heard them calling after him as he sprinted to his car. His destination was unclear. At the end of the driveway he slammed on the brakes. Right into town. Left to the warehouse to bury himself in work and let Myka go.

Knuckles white-gripped to the steering wheel, he considered both routes. What he needed to do and what he had to do. His relationship with Myka was unlike any other he’d ever had and it wasn’t something he wanted to lose…again. She’d come back on her own the last time. But could he be so lucky now?

Pete took a deep breath and turned the wheel to the right. He sped through town hoping Office Peevy wasn’t at his usual post behind the billboard to give him another speeding ticket. Fortunately for Pete, Peevy must have been at the Univille Diner having his eggs and burnt toast breakfast because he made it through town with no problems.

Normally when he was on the road to Rapid City Regional Airport, he was on a mission to find a dangerous artifact. But this mission was the most dangerous he’d ever been on.

The first and only place he knew to look for Myka was in Colorado Springs. If she was looking for herself she’d have to start at the beginning. Right? He hoped he was right. He may not be able to convince her to return but at least, if he finds her, he can be sure she’s alright.

The pain that formed in the pit of his stomach that morning was still there with no sighs of it going away. The hour and a half flight from Rapid City to Denver wasn’t nearly full but Pete didn’t pay any attention to the other passengers. Normally he would people watch and make up stories for them all. Not this time. He just wanted to get to Denver and drive the short distance to Colorado Springs and find his friend.

He didn’t call before showing up to “Bering & Sons”. He didn’t think that far ahead. If Myka was going to run away she’d come here first…she did before.

Pulling open the front door he heard the familiar bell jingle above his head to alert Jeannie and Warren of entering guests. Myka’s mom greeted him at the counter with a warm, familiar smile.

“She’s not here, Pete.” Jeannie knew why he was there. There would be only one reason. When his broad shoulders slumped and he hung his head she continued. “She was here but she left not too long ago. She picked up a few books,” She pointed towards Myka’s upstairs nook. “And then she left. She didn’t say to where. I’m sorry.”

Pete nodded his head slowly in appreciation for the information. As he turned to head back out the door it hit him. He spun around on his heels. “Can I?” He looked up to where she had just pointed.

“Of course.”

He took the stairs two at a time as he pulled the rumpled paper from his pocket. He read the quote at the bottom of Myka’s note again. _MacBeth_. It took only a few seconds for him to scan the stack of books by the chair he knew Myka loved to read in.

Not knowing if his hunch would pay off but he had to try. Pete would try anything to find Myka.

Flipping to the passage that she quoted, he smiled when a slip of paper appeared between the worn pages. Oh Mykes!

Before he could read what was on the paper, his Farnsworth went off in his coat pocket. He opened the device to see Claudia staring back at him.

_You gotta get back, Pete. Some serious stuff is going down here with Artie. I can’t do this on my own. Well I mean I probably could but I don’t want to take all the credit._

Pete laughed and shook his head. “But Myka…”

_Myka’s a big girl, Pete. If she wants to come back she will. She did before. Maybe she just needs to reboot her system._

“Maybe. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He closed the communication device before she could respond. He knew he had to get back to the warehouse. But he needed to know if Myka was okay.

He pulled his personal cell phone from his back pocket, dialed a number from memory and waited for an answer. While waiting, Pete finally read the slip of paper he pulled from the _Shakespeare_ book but he was completely lost. It made no sense to him whatsoever. And this quote didn’t have anything to help him.

“I need your help.” He declared to the person who finally answered. “Meet me at Leena’s in the morning.” He listened intently. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important!” He snapped before thinking.

  

 


	2. Chapter 2

After leaving the bookstore, Myka drove with no direction. She had no inclination as to where she was going or where she would end up. But she knew she needed to clear her mind and the best way for her to do that was on the road alone.

She wondered if Pete had figured out her clue. Part of her wanted him to but part of her didn’t. She knew he would try, and probably succeed, at convincing her to return. By the missed calls and messages on her silenced cell phone she saw that he just missed her in Colorado Springs. Good, she wasn’t ready to see him just yet.

The drive east on I-70 was duller than she remembered but, truthfully, this time she wasn’t paying attention to the landscape. She wanted to keep driving but her adrenaline finally wore out and she stopped in some little town outside of Kansas City to rest.

* * *

 

Pete bound down the stairs of the B&B. He couldn’t remember what time he got back from Colorado but it was late and he practically passed out when he got home. He knew the others would already be at the warehouse and he hoped he hadn’t missed the morning arrangement he’d made the night before.

“Mom?” He called out into the living room.

Jane stood up from the chair in front of the roaring fire. He hadn’t seen her sitting in the high-backed chair. “Peter. I can’t show up on a whim like this. With all that’s going on everything is quite hectic as you can imagine.”

He nodded his head. “I know! I know. Myka is gone again.”

Jane could see on her son’s face that he wasn’t concerned about Myka, the warehouse agent missing. He was concerned about Myka, his best friend missing. But as a Regent, Jane had to treat this as professionally as she could.

“We know Myka is gone. We are taking steps to replace her.”

“Replace? Myka isn’t some empty milk carton that needs to be replaced. I need to find her and bring her back.”

Jane expelled an exasperated breath of air. “Pete. You have a job to do and it’s here. Myka left by her own free will. We, you, cannot force her back.”

Pete started pacing the room. “I just need to know if she’s alright, mom. This really messed her up. Worse than before.”

Jane watched her son in agony. She knew he’d make the right decision and return to the warehouse but his mind would be elsewhere until he knew about Myka. She may be a Regent but, above all else, she was a mother first.

“I’ll take care of it. You get to the warehouse and do what you do best. They need you.”

Pete sighed and handed his mother a small envelope. He’s put the piece of paper from the book in it for safe keeping and whatever Myka had written wasn’t necessarily for everyone to see.

* * *

 

**_The beginning of eternity, the end of time and space,  
The beginning of every end, and the end of every place._ **

She fiddled with the edges of the paper as she read the two line poem over and over again. The handwriting was hurried but deliberate. She knew this poem well; it was one of her favorites. Those two simple lines held a lot of meaning for her-now more than ever.

But the twenty words didn’t tell her where Myka was. There was no hidden meaning or location. She racked her brain trying to figure out where Myka would go.

She pressed the cream colored paper to her nose and inhaled deeply.

* * *

 

Myka wasn’t aware of how she got to Ohio besides never venturing off of I-70 but that’s where the road led her. After all the forests and rolling hills she decided to take the road north and travel near the lake. The serenity of the water, the chill of the wind always created a calmness within her.

It didn’t take long to find a hotel room close to the water. She was tired of driving and needed to stretch her aching legs and get some fresh air.  After a hot soup and sandwich from a deli near her hotel, Myka found a quiet spot near the lake to gather her thoughts.

There was a constant lightning storm of conflict within her. Leaving her team a man down nearly destroyed her but she knew she would put them in even more harm if she stayed. She couldn’t trust herself so how could she expect them to put their lives in her hands?

The only thing that she could take comfort in at that point was the fact that Helena was still alive. She was in hiding again. Myka only hoped the Regents would be lenient on her. If only they had allowed her one last meeting with her. All she wanted was to say ‘thank you’…and to see Helena one more time. She missed that not so innocent smirk and the eyes that lit up with wonder when Helena saw something for the first time.

The stars were beginning to twinkle in the night sky above the lake. As she pulled the collar of her coat tighter around her neck she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She’d left it on silent but couldn’t bring herself to turn it off completely.

She held the phone in front of her and read the message that appeared on the screen.

_Lord Byron, darling? Has it come to this?_

Myka’s stomach hitched and her skin prickled. She hadn’t realized she was grinning like an idiot until she felt her cheeks start to ache. Only one person ever made her body act like that for the most inane, mundane reasons.

Her fingers itched to reply back to the message but she couldn’t let herself become distracted by Helena when she still had so much to figure out on her own. But it helped her soul to know that H.G. was okay and able to communicate with her.

The cold, the darkness, the exhaustion finally got the best of her and she made her way back to her hotel room. After another hot shower, Myka climbed into bed but her mind wouldn’t shut off and sleep eluded her. She stared at the dark ceiling for, what seemed like, hours. Her mind started at the beginning…

As a young woman, she’d been a shadow of her father. He couldn’t or wouldn’t even acknowledge his daughters in their family business. That store and those books had been Myka’s sanctuary. They made her understand that there was so much more to life outside of the store and Colorado Springs. In a way, she hated her father for treating them like they weren’t worthy and her mother for allowing it. When she could get out, she got out as fast as she could.

Her training and experience as a Secret Service agent built a tough exterior; one that allowed her to hide behind when her real life got a bit too real. But having a life that meant putting someone else’s life always before your own almost dissolved any sense of self.

The alarm clock glowed a bright 3:47am. She thought about getting up and back on the road. Maybe that would slow her mind. As she threw the covers back from her body, her cell phone buzzed on the table beside the bed.

_Worrying about you is not something of which I pride myself._

It was her again. And she was trying to cover her seriousness with humor.  

* * *

 

Helena had felt helpless ever since Jane approached her with her “mission”. She had neither a modern nor 19th century way of

locating Myka. But her intellect and intuition normally prevailed over technology anyway despite the irony of that.

After everything was brought back to normal, the Regents brought Helena to some secluded safehouse. She wasn’t imprisoned per se but she couldn’t go out on her own.

Given the direness of Myka’s situation, Jane made an exception. If anyone could find her and talk some sense into her it was H.G. Wells. And they permitted her to do whatever she needed to find the missing agent.

But to Helena, Myka wasn’t a missing agent. Only to herself would she admit that she fell in love with the curly-haired, quirky Myka the very first time she saw her. They quickly formed an unspeakable bond that still surprised both of them. And just as quickly, they learned the inner most nuances of each other.

Helena paced her room until her legs hurt. She couldn’t very well scour the earth for Myka when she obviously didn’t want to be found; so she had to wait until Myka either purposefully or inadvertently opened the door to her location. The handwritten quote Pete found was of no help. But that didn’t stop Helena from reading it dozens of times.

Many modern marvels may elude her but she was thankful to learn the basic necessities of the cellular telephone. But after two text messages went unanswered, the Brit began to worry more. Had something happened to Myka? The pangs of panic started to grow.

Then the contraption made that horrific beeping and she immediately read the message.

**_Sometimes, you have to step outside of the person you've been and remember the person you were meant to be. The person you want to be. The person you are._ **

Helena couldn’t help but double over with laughter. The words were deep and obviously Myka was dealing with many open wounds. But even in all the turmoil and in the dead of night, Myka Bering still found a way to make her laugh.

Helena composed herself and quickly punched back a message in response. She’d gotten quite proficient with the texting. But then again technology had never been foreign to her for long.

_Only you would send the words of H.G. Wells to H.G. Wells._

 

 

   

 


	3. Chapter 3

Three days later, Helena was still in the same predicament she was in before. She still had no clue as to Myka’s whereabouts. And she hadn’t received any more messages from her either. At any given moment she could be either pissed off or worried.

And at the current moment she was very upset. But what else could she do? She tried to ask Claudia to track Myka’s cellphone but everyone was away on an artifact mission.

She wanted to respect Myka’s privacy and her need to find what she was seeking but Helena had a hard time not being able to control the situation. If she could just talk to her maybe she could make her see that the warehouse is exactly where she needed to be and she was the best agent they’d ever had…aside from herself of course.

In all her years, prior to and after her bronzing, Helena never had a friend or companion quite like Myka Bering. She could be stubborn and sassy and charming and humorous. And she was completely infatuated.

The familiar jingle from her cell phone brought her mind back. It was only then that she noticed the sun was just starting to set.

The message was from Myka but it contained no words-just a picture.

“Griffin’s Wharf?” Helena asked out loud to no one. Where had she heard of that before? She said the name over in her head a few times until it finally hit her. She smiled as she typed back a response.

_That certainly was a waste of perfectly good tea._

But now she knew where Myka was and she berated herself for not realizing that’s where she would go. She loved that city. She could always escape there and not feel like she had to hide from the speculations of small town folk or be overwhelmed by hoards of people.

 

Myka knew by sending that picture Helena would at least know her location and that she was safe. Being in Boston for the last 2 days, Myka let the sea air and the New England quaintness whisk away her doldrums.

There was still a sharp chill to the air but she couldn’t resist sitting under the sun in the park with a book on her lap. The tourists were few and far between so she practically had the park to herself.

It wasn’t out of the way or tucked into the shadows of history. In the spring and summer the roses bloomed gloriously in all shades of color. But in the winter one had to use their imaginations to see the natural beauty. Perhaps that’s why there weren’t as many visitors at this time.

As Myka sat on the bench with her sunglasses perched on her nose, she looked to her left out at the white-capped water. Just the sight made her pull her scarf tighter around her neck. In the distance she could see that airplanes gliding in and jetting away. On her right she watched the cars and tourist buses pass slowly by.  

Diving back into her book, she didn’t raise her eyes from the pages until several chapters later. With her head still bowed, her eyes locked onto a figure sitting on the bench across the park.

The woman, with darkened aviator-style sunglasses covering her eyes, sat with her left leg crossed over her right. Her dark grey woolen overcoat gapped open at the knees revealing black pants and matching boots. Myka couldn’t see what else the woman had on since the coat was button high to keep the cold out. But she recognized the crimson cashmere scarf immediately.   

By the angle of her head, no one would know she was scanning over every detail of the woman. But when her eyes roved to the woman’s face Myka watched as her lips pulled slowly…so very slowly into that familiar smirk. The same smirk that, so many times, weakened her at the knees. The woman knew she was looking at her.

Myka sat up straight, her head tilting to the right, but never taking her eyes off of the woman. Crossing her arms over her chest, she gauged the smirking woman across from her.

Even behind sunglasses and twenty-five feet between them, their eyes bore hot into each other. Their friendship always toed the line of something more but neither had actually acted on it. But both could feel there was something different about what they had. They sat like that for almost ten minutes before Myka finally found her voice.

“You found me.” Myka let her voice carry across the concreted path.

Helena stood slowly and walked over to where Myka was sitting and sat down on the bench next to her; never once losing eye contact.

“I found you.”  Helena, with her crisp British accent, stated simply. Then her smirk was replaced by a genuine smile. Whether Myka wanted to be found or not didn’t matter; Helena was there now.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Myka closed the open book on her lap. She watched Helena remove her sunglasses and glance down at the leather-bound edition. Helena raiseed an eyebrow knowing it’s from Myka’s prized, ridiculously expensive, first-edition collection. Normally she’d never take it from its glass-enclosed bookshelf.

“ _The Sun Also Rises_ …your so-called ‘classic’ literature about a bunch of testosterone-filled men chasing after a beautiful woman.” Helena knew that remark would stir Myka’s pot.

Myka huffed. “It’s about more than that and you know it. It’s about the choices women have and the consequences of choosing one thing over the other. And a woman’s desire for independence yet still ultimately desire to be taken care of.”

Helena pulled her lips in trying to hide her smile. “Oh you modern thinkers. Always trying to read more into a book than what’s there. From what I’ve heard and read of Mr. Hemmingway, he was a bit of a cad.”

Myka shook her head back and forth and laughed. She knew then that Helena was just teasing her a bit. And she never knew how much she missed it until then either. Turning her head, Myka looked at Helena sitting next to her on the bench; the sea breeze fanning the Brit’s black hair slightly.

Myka cleared her throat and looked away. But when Helena laid a single finger lightly on the top of her leg, her eyes fluttered shut, thankful to have her sunglasses still on. She missed their interaction; their banter; the minute flirtatious undertones.

“Myka, you can run to the ends of the earth but you’ll never discover the answers when what you’re truly trying to run from is yourself.” Helena wasn’t afraid to tell Myka what she needed to hear. Myka pulled off her glasses and glared at Helena incredulously. The smirk on Helena’s lips deepened as she shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t need rescuing, Helena. I don’t…” Helena’s deep laugh stopped her mid-sentence.

“You think that’s why I’m here? No, I’m here, Myka, to keep you from reading horribly tragic literature,” Helena motioned towards the closed book. “And to enjoy a bit of a break from the warehouse with you.”

Myka could only stare at her suspiciously. Helena rarely did anything without a purpose. But whatever the reason she was glad, so far, that Helena had joined her. If she wanted to be true to herself, Helena was right…about a lot of things. Of course Myka wouldn’t admit it; not yet at least.

They sat on the bench soaking up the bright morning sunlight and letting the sea air envelope them. Suddenly both of them sat up straight and looked around for what peaked their interest.

“Coffee.” They said in unison. They didn’t see where the strong, delicious scent was coming from.

Helena stood up and grabbed Myka’s hand. “Come on. There’s a café in the Long Wharf.”

Myka quickly gripped her canvas bag and book as Helena dragged her across the way to the hotel.  

After satisfying their need for caffeine, Helena convinced a reluctant Myka to join her on a tourist jaunt around the city aboard one of those obnoxious trolleys. Myka had seen the sights of Boston before – many times. But after purchasing their tickets and taking a seat in the back of the orange and green car, Myka had to admit to herself that seeing the city with Helena would really be enjoyable or at least she hoped so.

They got off at every stop even if the highlighted attraction didn’t catch their attention. It was lovely merely walking around the quaint streets together.  For lunch they took a couple sandwiches to the Public Garden and ate on a quiet park bench next to the water. The swan boats weren’t in operation yet so the water was smooth and serene.

A few young children were playing on the bronze duck statues across from them.  Myka noticed Helena stopped taking her sandwich from its paper wrapping. The look on Helena’s face, as she watched the children, flashed between very solemn to complete delight. It was obvious to Myka that thoughts of Christina were dancing through Helena’s mind. She placed a comforting, knowing hand lightly on Helena’s forearm.

Helena looked down at the hand on her arm. It wasn’t something new. Myka had touched her arm before but this was different. This felt like she could see into her soul. Helena had always been reluctant to let anyone in before but for the first time, which stunned her, she wanted to let Myka in--all the way in. She covered Myka’s hand with her own until both of them pulled away to finish their lunch.

Later that evening, after they had traipsed all over Boston proper looking at the centuries old architecture and history, they settled down at a seafood restaurant to refuel their hungry bodies.  The restaurant wasn’t quite full so they were able to get a table by the window overlooking the harbor.  

Helena ordered the lobster bisque while Myka enjoyed a traditional New England clam chowder. Their conversation was light. Both avoided the elephant in the room. When Myka excused herself to the ladies room, Helena sent a quick text to Pete letting him know she found Myka and she was okay but that’s all she told him. It was all he needed to know for now.

After Myka returned to the table, they ordered one last glass of wine to finish their meal. Helena looked at her watch. It was nearly 24 hours since she’d left to find Myka. Napping on the plane wasn’t something she liked to do but she managed to catch a few winks before she had landed in Boston.

“It’s getting late.” Myka said before finishing off the last bit of wine. Helena only nodded her head in agreement.

Myka tossed a hundred dollar bill on the table to cover their check and a generous tip and started to stand up. But before she could, Helena gripped her arm.

“Myka, uh, I hastily traveled here to locate you and, now it’s come to my attention that…I do not have a room reservation.” Helena sounded almost embarrassed.

The curly haired brunette snickered. “It’s okay. I don’t mind sharing my room.” Again, she started to go.

“Just one more thing.” Myka raised an eyebrow and waited for Helena to finish. “Again, posthaste, I…did not bring any luggage.”

Myka tilted her head to the right slightly as she took in the whispered words that Helena spoke. Helena wouldn’t look her in the eye and Myka wondered why the Brit, now, decided to be almost prudish. It was quite charming really.

Pursing her lips, Myka grinned. “We’ll figure something out.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Walking across the street from the restaurant to the hotel, Myka caught herself humming. She wasn’t aware that it was audible until she saw Helena looking at her most amused. For the first time in a very long time, Myka realized she was truly happy.

“The marketplace is closed already so we’ll have to find you some clothes tomorrow.” Myka pointed to her left towards Faneuil Marketplace not far on the other side of the street.

Helena nodded quickly. “Of course.”

The elevator ride to the 6th floor was quiet. Both were tired. Both had consumed just a smidge too much wine. And both were trying to ignore whatever passed between them that day. Because something had. They both knew it. It wasn’t sexual. It wasn’t something either could describe.

Standing in front of door 601, Myka fumbled ferociously in her bag for the door keycard. Helena stood back and watched for a few minutes at the humorous sight before her. Just before Myka dumped the contents of her bag onto the carpeted floor, Helena stopped her.

“Myka?”

An obviously frustrated Myka snapped her head around at the sound of her name behind her. Helena raised her eyebrows and tapped her fingernail twice on the back pocket of Myka’s jeans. The hollow thud reminded Myka she had put her keycard in her pocket.

Myka hurriedly opened the door and tossed her bag onto the empty high-backed chair. Helena stood in the entrance. Her hands shoved in the front pockets of her jeans, unsure of what to do next. The first thing that greeted her was Myka’s subtle scent. She’d recognize the spicy perfume anywhere. And it always conjured fond images of the curly haired brunette. 

Having to make a few phone calls, Helena suggested Myka take her shower first. It would allow her a few minutes, at least, to contact the Regents and let them know she’d located Myka but it wasn’t time yet to return to the warehouse. She refused to rush Myka back into something or someplace she wasn’t ready. And, personally, Helena was enjoying this bit of holiday with Myka alone and away from pings and artifacts and such. If Myka wouldn’t drag it out perhaps she would have to.

The hot shower beating down on her neck, relieved some of the tension Myka felt but not much. Granted, said tension had lessened greatly since the arrival of Helena that morning. A day before she hadn’t wanted to see or hear anything to do with the warehouse. But seeing Helena sitting on that park bench melted her instantaneously.

Yes, Helena was a beautiful sight to behold, she wouldn’t deny that. But seeing that someone had taken the time and effort and purpose to find her was something Myka hadn’t expected. No one had ever put themselves out there for her before; maybe for Myka Bering: warehouse agent but not for Myka Bering: person, woman, friend.

She wrapped her wet curls in a fluffy white towel and stepped out of the steamy bathroom. Immediately she saw Helena sitting at the desk with her head resting in the palms of her hands.

“Is everything okay?” Myka asked concerned.

Helena turned quickly. She wasn’t expecting what she saw. Her eyes blinked uncontrollably at first. She tried to hide behind a nervous chuckle. “Are those your pajamas?” Her eyes roved up and down Myka’s body. The black boyshorts fit her perfectly and covering up what they intended but nothing more.  The white tank top was thin and stopped just short of the top edge of the shorts revealing a sliver of pale skin beneath.

Myka crossed her arms over her chest, aware of her body reacting against the thinness of the shirt. “Yes! I wasn’t expecting company, you know.” They stared for several seconds before Myka cocked her head to the side and said, “You didn’t answer my question.”

Helena cleared her throat. “Yes. Yes, I’m alright. Just a bit tired.” She stood up and strode into the still warmed bathroom. If she looked at Myka any longer she may say or do something she would most likely regret. Myka had always elicited deep desires within her but she’s always managed to tap them down in order to complete whatever mission they were on or whatever the case may have been. But it was growing more and more difficult to ignore what she truly desired.

Stepping out onto the bath mat, Helena realized she didn’t have any clothes to put on. Thankfully there was a hotel-branded terry cloth robe hanging behind the door. That would have to do.

Myka had already turned out all the lights except for the lamp nearest to her. She sat up against the headboard with her head bowed reading her book. She didn’t hear or notice Helena step into the room until the other side of the king sized bed dipped low and she saw her scramble into bed and pull the covers up to her shoulders. Her straight dark hair lay wet against the back of the robe.

The silence was almost too loud to bear. She tried focusing on the words printed before her but she couldn’t make it past the second sentence. Closing the book gently, she laid it along with her glasses on the night table and switched off the light. After her eyes adjusted she could see the white of the bathrobe Helena was wearing still turned away from her.

After a long time, Myka took a deep breath and exhaled. “Helena?” She asked quietly in the dark, not sure if the Brit was asleep yet or not. When Helena didn’t answer right away she turned onto her side to go to sleep. It had been a long day but one of the best days she could remember. And the smile she felt on her face was proof of that.

“Yes, darling.”

The air caught in Myka’s chest. She always felt those damn proverbial butterflies when Helena called her darling but not just any darling—it had to be darling in that perfect deep British accent. It took a moment to compose herself enough to remember what she was going to say.

“Today was…fun.”

“Yes, it was.” Myka could hear the smile on Helena’s words. “Hopefully tomorrow will live up to the standards set today.”

For hours they laid there on opposite sides of the bed with their backs turned away from each other talking. Neither wanted to fall asleep even though they were both exhausted. They talked about their childhoods, their favorite this or that, family, lost loves, the warehouse, artifacts, the 1800s, the 1990s. Both learned and laughed but neither chanced moving or turning to the other.

When their silences started growing longer, Myka glanced at the clock. It was almost 4am.

“Helena, it’s late. Get some sleep.”

“Good night…dear, Myka.”

Helena awakened to bright sunlight streaming through the window. The shade had been pulled back and she squinted her eyes at the harsh light. Her body felt well rested after a full night’s sleep. Looking at the clock she was surprised it was almost noon.

“Myka?” She called not seeing or hearing her about. With no answer, Helena stood and looked around the small room but didn’t see Myka anywhere.

But then something different on the desk caught her eye. A small piece of paper lay atop a folded set of clothes. Helena smiled as she held out the new jeans, sweater, and undergarments before her. A blush broke out across her cheeks as she thought about Myka choosing her under things.

Unfolding the paper she read the handwritten words.

_My heart was a habitation large enough for many guests, but lonely and chill, and without a household fire. I longed to kindle one! It seemed not so wild a dream._

“Oh, Myka.” Helena chuckled at Myka’s choice of literature again. From underneath the note something floated to the floor at Helena’s bare feet.

She bent and picked up the heavy cardstock. Turning it over in her hands she noted it was a ticket to something.

Helena sighed at the game they were playing again and took her new clothes into the bathroom to get ready.

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

_**So the place I want to take them, or rather, the mode at which they get there is only operable from May-October and since this story takes place probably in March or April, we’re just going to pretend it operates sooner than May, okay? ;)** _

* * *

 

Helena accepted the man’s hand as she stepped from the solid dock to the swaying ferry boat. There weren’t many people aboard with the chilly weather and all but that didn’t bother her. She found a sunny location at the bow of the boat. In the pocket of her coat she fumbled with the note Myka had left. She hadn’t seen the illusive lass at all since awakening to find a new set of clothes, a note and a ticket. So it seemed the game had begun again.

Standing in the sun, Helena shut her eyes and leaned her head back soaking up the warm rays. After a few moments she felt someone standing at her back shoulder. Her instincts told her to spin around and accost the person too far into her personal space but then the ocean breeze blew a faint scent past her nose.

“I thought you’d make this more of a challenge.” Helena smiled through her words. She opened her eyes to see Myka step around her holding two recycled-paper cups in front of her.

Myka handed Helena one of the cups. Her hands welcomed the warmth. “It crossed my mind. But…” Myka looked far out into the waves. The ferry had sailed from the docks and was on its journey.

“But?” Helena raised an eyebrow.

“But I wanted to enjoy this ferry ride with you. And I want to explore our destination with you.” Myka looked deep into her eyes then. “I’m tired of playing hide and seek.”

Helena nodded before taking a generous sip of the hot tea. Perfect hot tea at that. Myka hadn’t missed the details at all. It wasn’t just the tea warming her insides at the realization. But she wasn’t surprised Myka had remembered how she took her tea. She was a stickler for detail and her memory was incomparable.  But it still made her happy to know Myka cared enough to have it the way she preferred.

They arrived at the dock in Salem about an hour later and quickly took off on their own journey around the old, witchy city. After visiting The House of the Seven Gables they walked to Washington Square and toured the Salem Witch Museum for a fun side adventure. With all they had encountered with evil artifacts, the Witch Museum still proved to be quite educational and eye-opening.  

In their own times, both Myka and Helena had felt like outsiders quite like the women accused of being witches and quite like Hester Prynne. Being so close to the history, yet so far, they felt a connection to what went on in Salem hundreds of years before. 

“That _Scarlet Letter_ quote doesn’t necessarily cry out witch trial town.” Helena mentioned the quote on the note Myka had left that morning. She knew immediately what it was from.

“No, not directly, but this is where Nathaniel Hawthorne was from so…and it’s a good quote.”

“Indeed.”

Walking up the cobbled Essex Street, they marveled at the new meeting the old.  The unevenness of the old brick street caused Myka to stumble forward. She would have tumbled to the hard ground had Helena not grabbed her hand to catch her. Myka regained her balance but didn’t release Helena’s hand right away. The connection lasted a bit longer than needed but both were reluctant to let go.

“Thanks.” Myka said sheepishly squeezing Helena’s hand slightly to emphasize her gratitude before unlocking their grip. “You’ve surprised me, Helena G. Wells.”

“Oh?”

“You’ve been on your best behavior these past few days. No wild antics. No devious agendas.”

Helena watched as the smile on Myka’s face grew even bigger and all of a sudden her chest tightened and a large lump formed at the base of her throat. It had been over a hundred years since she’d been overcome with feelings such as those and, in all honesty, she had never truly felt like that before. And that frightened her.

Normally very confident, and usually bold, Helena was finding herself timid and unsure of herself with Myka. She wasn’t sure how to proceed or even if she should.

Helena shrugged her shoulders but didn’t give a response. Myka left it at that.

“Come on. This is it.” Myka’s long legs carried her ahead of Helena a few feet when she realized the place she was looking for was just down the side street in front of them. Helena had to practically jog to catch up.

Myka stopped and waited for Helena to meet her in front of Red’s Sandwich Shop. It looked very unassuming from the outside but it was a place Myka had been wanting to try for awhile and couldn’t think of anyone else she wanted to enjoy it with other than Helena.

“That sweater looks great on you, by the way.” After they’d been seated and removed their coats, Myka noticed the sweater she had picked out for Helena that morning was a perfect fit.  

“Thank you. Crimson has always been a good color for me.” Helena winked. Ah, there was the Helena she was accustomed to. “What do I owe you for this new wardrobe, my dear?”

Myka leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. She’d fallen in love with the words of H.G. Wells long before she had any knowledge of the warehouse or Helena. But it was more than words printed on paper that got her attention now. “Your company is payment enough.”

After they finished their homemade chicken pot pies, they walked slowly back towards the docks. It was quite a ways away.

“We should get back.” Myka almost hated to leave. She loved the small town of Salem. She could see herself living there if not for…her real life. But there were so many places she could see herself living but her heart was always at the warehouse and it probably always would be.

“To the warehouse?” Helena asked a bit too quickly.

Myka snapped her head around to look at Helena. “No, to the city. Helena, you don’t have to babysit me. I’m okay. You can go back to the Regents if you want. I’m just…not ready to go back yet. I don’t even know if they want me back.” The sadness in her voice was loud and clear

They continued walking without another word until they reached the boat back to Boston. Helena knew Myka was upset and she hated that their fantastic day was ending on a bad note. Maybe she could change things around. She had an idea—something Myka had mentioned before.

By the time they returned from Salem, it was well after dark and both were worn-out. Helena took to the bathroom first. The hot shower felt good after the long day they’d had but she hurried so to be able to get into the comfortable bed soon.

“Helena,” Myka’s voice startled her almost making her slip in the wet, sudsy shower. She let out a small yelp as she clutched her arms to her chest even though she knew Myka could not see her through the shower curtain.

“Are you okay?” Myka asked after hearing Helena’s squeak.

“Yes! Yes, I’m fine.”

“Okay. I’m leaving your clothes on the counter.”

Helena didn’t move or breathe until she heard the bathroom door click closed. Hurrying out of the shower she dried and saw the neatly folded clothes and laughed heartily.

Myka was standing by the window looking out into the dark sky littered with building lights and the occasional airplane passing by. She’d shut off all the lights in the room but the one near the entrance. Thinking about going back to the warehouse didn’t make her nervous. It was the thought of if they would welcome her again and how she would be treated. She had run away before so how would they know to trust her again. It had taken awhile to get the trust back before…this time she just didn’t know.

In the reflection of the window she saw Helena standing with hands on her hips just at the bedroom entrance. Turning she saw the incredulous look on Helena’s face.

“Pink, Myka?” She looked down at the light pink cotton pajama bottoms and matching tank top. “I look like a girl.”

Myka pinched her mouth closed trying not to laugh but she couldn’t hold it for long and practically doubled over with laughter. But Helena was wrong. She didn’t look like a little girl. She looked…adorable.

“You look fine, Helena. And, besides, that’s all they had in your size.” Myka said after she’d composed herself. Walking towards her, Myka noticed, with bare feet Helena appeared quite small standing there.

Myka slowly walked past Helena on her way to the bathroom. She intentionally, ever so slightly, brushed her arm against Helena’s as she passed by. Helena turned her head then and watched her go. Now it seemed a new game had started.

“Oh Myka? Take your time. I have a few calls to make.”

By the time she was done with her bath, Helena was already propped up in bed and messing with her cell phone. It didn’t shock her that the age old Brit had picked up the modern technology of the smart phone so easily. But it was still funny to watch her fumble with the touchscreens and such.

A few minutes later they were both in bed and fiddling with their phones. Myka checked the weather and news and Helena zoomed in and out of maps of some place.

Helena heard Myka take a deep breath and waited for what was to come. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Myka still staring at her phone in hand. But she knew there was something on her mind. So she just waited until she couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Inquiring minds…” Helena prodded gently.

There was the sigh again.

“Why did you…you sacrificed your life…everything.”

Helena wondered when Myka would broach the subject of her saving them but destroying herself.  It wasn’t something she could easily explain without saying too much.

“I’d prefer not to speak of it…right now.”

Myka didn’t push further. She really didn’t want to ask or know the answer. But it was on her mind constantly. Her phone beeped in her hand indicating a new message had come in. It was from Helena.

_Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

 

“Wake up, darling. We have things to do!”

Myka groaned into her pillow. Normally she was an up and at ‘em morning person. But after reading the quote Helena had sent to her phone the night before she had trouble falling asleep. So many thoughts, reflections, wonderments bounced around inside her head. She’d recognized the quote immediately. Louisa May Alcott was one of the reasons why she fell in love with words, with the fantasy of literature.  Helena was aware of the immense admiration she had for Alcott and her stories. But she also knew Helena meant something much deeper with the statement. That’s the part that scared her.

“Where is H.G. and what have you done with her?” Myka whined but still didn’t get up. “Come back to bed.” She didn’t realize she had said it like that until she heard Helena chuckle.

“You will not spoil the plans I have arranged for this day, Myka Bering.”

That got Myka’s attention. “You made plans?”

“I am capable of such, yes. Now get up. Meet me downstairs in the restaurant within the hour.”

Myka hadn’t realized Helena was already dressed and ready for the day until she popped open her eyes and saw Helena bounce, yes, practically, bounce out the door. This surprised again her since, unlike herself, Helena was not a morning person at all. It took near bribing to get her up for early missions. She sat up in bed and scrubbed her face with the palms of her hands. She wondered what Helena had planned for them. When could she have had time to make plans anyway, she thought.

By 10am they had finished breakfast and were heading out of the city in a rented car Helena had arranged. Myka sat in the front seat trying to cover her eyes the best she could.

“I’m not that bad of a driver.” Helena stated without taking her eyes off of the road.

“Yeah but you’re not that good either.” Myka grimaced as the car jolted to the left then right and lurched as the brakes were pressed a little too hard.

After fighting traffic and Helena using every curse word known to man, they finally slowed to a crawl in the small town of Concord. Even in the late winter the landscape was beautiful. It was almost something out of a story. Well it was really.

Myka and Helena had long discussions about Louisa May Alcott and _Little Women_ in the past and Helena remembered how much the writer had influenced Myka’s youth and, as an effect, her adult life. Myka mentioned it only once but Helena remembered it was hard for Myka to come here as a young woman because she was so very attached. But, hopefully, this would be the insight Myka needed to realize her worth.

“You can uncover your eyes now.” Helena smiled.

Myka looked around as they passed few cars and century old homes with American flags flying from welcoming porches. She looked into the backseat and saw the insulated bag probably containing whatever they were having for lunch. She still couldn’t believe Helena had prearranged it all, even if she didn’t know the plans, on her own.

Helena parked the car in a small lot just off the street. In front of them was a weathered wooden structure set back into the trees. She shut off the car engine and waited for Myka to realize where they were.

“Helena?” Myka whispered after she’d looked up and recognized the building straightaway. The sign leading up a stone walkway confirmed it. Her heart picked up its pace. She never could really explain why _Little Women_ and Louisa May Alcott were so important to her. Maybe she connected to those girls when she didn’t have anyone else to connect to in her life. Maybe they gave her hope. Maybe Alcott gave her the push she needed to venture out on her own and do what she needed to do.

“Do you want to go in?” Helena asked softly. She wasn’t sure how to gauge Myka’s reaction. Leaning forward in the seat, Myka stared wide-eyed with her mouth slightly ajar. But then Myka nodded her head that she did.

With it being the middle of the week, they were the only people taking the self-guided tour. Helena fell back slightly to let Myka have her moment inside the dwelling where Alcott lived and was the setting of _Little Women_. Myka finally settled in and started pointing out things that she had read about in the book. Jo’s this. Meg’s that. The enthusiasm grew as they progressed through the home. Helena loves sharing this with Myka.

They spent the almost 2 hours going through the small house and museum located just next door. Myka picked up some of the available information about the foundations and programs the Alcott’s Orchard House supported as well as a few items from the giftshop.

Back in the car, Helena could feel Myka staring at the side of her face. She finished fiddling with the portable navigation system the rental car place loaned her before turning to her right. The smile on Myka’s face melted her heart.

“Thank you.” Myka’s eyes watered just a bit.

Helena shook her head slightly. “No need for that.” She backed the car out of the spot and continued to her next planned destination. There was a bit of back tracking but that was part of the itinerary.

The barren trees lined either side of the quiet road into the park. Over the side of the cliff the lake popped in and out of the wooded areas. A few miles in Helena stopped the car again in a small lot. The replica of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin sat just off a ways.

Before stepping across the road to hike down to the lakefront, Helena took the insulated bag from the car and carried it with them. Walden Pond was just as peaceful as it was a hundred and sixty years before. The overcast clouds didn’t damper their picnic lunch at all. Helena laid out their sandwiches and a thermos of soup.

Myka couldn’t help but be surprised by the domesticity that had suddenly overcome Helena. “Uh how did you manage all of this?” Myka asked watching Helena meticulously separate their lunch.

Helena stood up straight and placed her hands on her hips. “You’d be surprised what this accent and a credit card can get you.” She winked knowingly. “Now, eat. Hopefully they made this order correctly. Yours should be carved turkey, yes?”

Myka unwrapped her sandwich and confirmed it was correct. She hadn’t had a Thanksgiving sandwich in years and could remember mentioning her fondness of it in passing to Helena only once. The touch of stuffing and cranberry sauce together with the moist turkey on perfect white bread pulled the whole thing together. She hmm’d her approval as she took a delicious bite.

“I’m glad you approve.” Helena laughed as she poured some of the soup into a disposable mug. “I hope this is still hot enough.”

“Minestrone too? Wow, Helena. You went all out.” Myka was impressed. “But a little surprised you didn’t stick to local fair…lobster rolls, clam chowder, that sorta thing.” Myka loved teasing Helena about her affinity for anything not purchased from a chain or big box store.

Helena still didn’t understand some of the modern sayings but hopefully she did well. But by the look on Myka’s face as she dove into the meal she figured she had. She only wanted to make Myka happy. She wanted to show her how much people cared about her and not only her but her abilities and her mind and her…everything. Helena sighed at the inward thought.

Helena smirked and pulled out two glass bottles. “Fear not, I did find these regional beverages.” She sat the Half and Half flavored Nantucket Nectars bottle in front of Myka and took the Lemon Tea for herself.

Myka twisted the cap off and laughed before taking a sip. “I hate to break it to you but these are made in Texas.”

The look on Helena’s face was priceless. It looked like someone told a child there was no Santa Claus. “What?! And you see, Myka, this is the problem with your mass produced, mega conglomerate filled twenty-first century.” Helena huffed.

Taking a short walk along the lake after they’d finished eating, Myka purposefully bumped Helena’s shoulder slightly with her own. “I don’t know how to thank you for all this…this whole day…everything.”

“Firstly, you don’t have to thank me for anything. I’m only enjoying a holiday with my friend. And, secondly, this day isn’t over yet.”

Helena had one more stop planned on her agenda. They passed back by the Orchard House before pulling through the iron and stone gate a few miles up the road. The stone monuments dotted the landscape on either side of the winding, narrow path.

“Sleepy Hollow Cemetery?” Myka couldn’t believe Helena would bring her here. She hadn’t even thought about this place in years. It was so serene and peaceful. It really did astonish her that she’d never visited this especially with her love of writers and thinkers.

The weather was turning a bit colder as the afternoon grew later. The wind blew the large tree branches and fallen leaves leading up the hill to Author’s Ridge. Together they read all of the tombstones along the way. They paused at the obvious: Thoreau, Emerson, Hawthorne. But when they came to Alcott, Myka kneeled in front of the small, almost unassuming white stone. She reached out to run her fingers across it but it was just out of reach.

After several silent minutes, Helena started to turn and leave Myka alone with her thoughts.

“Wait.” Myka said; her head still bowed. Her unruly curls blowing about in the wind.

Myka stood up, took two steps towards Helena and quickly cupped the sides of the Brit’s face. Before Helena could register what was happening Myka pressed their lips together. Helena’s eyes widened in surprise but fluttered closed in delight. Every cell in her body quivered. Nothing and no one had ever made her feel like that before. And this just a simple kiss.

Just as Helena’s brain started working again and she started to rest her hands on Myka’s hips, Myka broke the kiss as quickly as she started it. She immediately turned her back embarrassed by her actions. No, not embarrassed. She was nervous.

“I’m sorry. Wow. I’m sorry, Helena.” She turned back around to see Helena touching her fingertips to her lips; her face flushed. “Can you give me a minute…alone?”

Helena nodded once and walked back down the hill to the car. Her lips still tingled as she replayed it over in her head. She’d wondered many times what it would be like but nothing she could have imagined compared. Starting the car to get it warmed up, she could see Myka pacing around the top of the ridge. Maybe she’d been wrong to bring Myka to Sleepy Hollow. These great writers meant so much to Myka that maybe it would create just the opposite effect than she intended.

Myka shuffled along the small beaten paths between the memorials. But it wasn’t the power of being surrounded by such famous writers and great minds, even if they were dead, that unsettled her. No, what disturbed her was that her life was filled with one famous writer with a brilliant mind but an even bigger heart.

She didn’t know why she kissed Helena. All the emotions of the day…maybe all the emotions since she left the warehouse…overflowed. But she didn’t regret what she did.

Contemplating a lot of things, Myka hadn’t realized it had started snowing. The flakes started falling faster and heavier but still she didn’t notice. Her mind was elsewhere. She’d always had something for Helena. Feelings? She didn’t know. But it was something and she worried that she may have caused irreparable damage to her friendship with Helena by being so impulsive.

A firm hand on the small of her back frightened her out of her thoughts. She spun around to see Helena standing behind her. They stared at each other for a few moments before Helena reached up and brushed the snow from Myka’s hair.  Both wondered what the other was thinking and feeling.

“Come out of the snow.” Helena took her hand so she didn’t slip on the embankment and led her back down the ridge to the waiting warmed car.

“Helena, I’m sorry.” Myka repeated, as she was about to get into the car. This time it was Helena who surprised her. Lifting up slightly on her toes, Helena gently touched her warm, soft lips to Myka’s. Her knees almost buckled under her when she heard and felt Myka’s slight moan. It took all she had in her to keep from sliding the tip of her tongue across Myka’s silky bottom lip. This wasn’t an impulsive kiss like the one Myka initiated. This was Helena silently letting Myka know the kiss on the ridge hadn’t bothered her and she wanted more.

“Please stop saying that.” Helena pleaded after breaking the lock and, on shaky legs, she walked to the driver’s side of the car.

The snow continued the entire drive back to the Long Wharf. They didn’t say much and Myka dosed a few times. Her emotions had run high and low throughout the day. She was physically and mentally exhausted. Helena looked over at her sleeping a few times when she heard her breathing loudly.

Entering the hotel room, Myka shrugged off her coat and threw it on the armchair. Suddenly a coughing fit gripped her. Helena tossed her own coat over Myka’s and turned up the heat in the room.

“Are you alright?” She asked as she handed Myka a bottle of water to moisten her throat. She didn’t sound well at all.

Myka accepted the water and nodded before taking a gulp. Satisfied, Helena went into the bathroom to start the hot water in the shower. Only a few minutes later she returned to find Myka sitting on the end of the bed.

“I’ve run you a hot shower.” The sudden cough worried Helena. The cold, wet snow had come hard and fast up on that ridge and Myka stayed in it too long.

Within an hour, Myka had her shower and snuggled under the warm covers of the bed and Helena was just exiting her own shower. She shook her head and smiled as she put on the silly pink pajamas again. It was nearly pitch black in the room when she climbed into bed. There was no noise coming from Myka’s side so she wasn’t sure if she was asleep or not.

After a few minutes, Helena managed to get herself comfortable in the bed and let out a tired sigh. But right away she felt the bed shaking. At first she thought she was imagining it but then realized it was Myka shivering uncontrollably.

“Myka?”

“Hmmm.” The shivering got worse.

Helena slid across the expanse of the large bed until she was just behind Myka’s turned back. She curled her knees into Myka’s and pressed her torso and chest to Myka’s back. She didn’t know whatelse to do to stop the trembling. The heat from Myka’s fever penetrated both their clothing.

Placing an arm over Myka’s middle, she held her tight until finally, after an hour or so, the shuddering subsided. The loud wheezing from deep inside Myka’s chest broke Helena’s heart. Obviously, Myka was very sick and it was all her fault.


	8. Chapter 8

Myka’s fever broke sometime during the night and when she woke the next morning the room was still dark except for the slivers of sunlight filtering around the heavy curtains. Immediately she missed the presence of Helena pressed to her back. In all the times she’d imagined them cuddling in bed it had nothing to do with one of them being pitifully sick.

Having to breathe through her mouth and the several rounds of coughing fits that caught her during the night, her throat was bone dry. She shifted her aching body slightly and saw Helena’s form sitting in the high backed chair with her elbows on her knees. The darkness of the room kept her from seeing her features but her beautiful silhouette was still striking in the shadows.

Helena noticed Myka was awake and jumped to her feet. From the small coffee pot she poured a mug of steaming liquid and carried it to Myka’s bedside.

“I don’t think I can stomach any coffee right now.” Myka grimaced with a hoarse voice.

 Helena waited for Myka to sit up against the headboard before handing the mug to her. “It’s not coffee…just hot lemon water. Drink it.”

 Myka took a gentle sip then another. The hot, wet water felt marvelous sliding down her parched throat. “Thank you.”

 “We really should get you to a physician or hospital.” Helena sat down on the edge of the bed at Myka’s knee. The dark circles under her weary eyes looked concerned. She hadn’t cared for a sick person since her Christina was a baby and she was slightly out of the habit. The worrier side of her took hold.

 “It’s just a cold or something. I’ll be fine in a few days. I’m already feeling better.” Myka assured her with a wave of her hand.

 Helena knew she was lying but she wouldn’t force the issue yet unless she noticed she was getting worse or not better.  It killed her to know that her perfect day for Myka was marred by a frightful cold or whatever the case. She’d planned that day at the last minute and was proud of how well it worked out.

 “Have you slept at all?” Myka asked still sipping from the mug. She knew the answer but asked anyway.

 “A bit I suppose. I needed to make sure you were alright.” Helena stood up and walked to the window to pull open the heaviest curtain just enough to let a little more light in. They both squinted as their eyes adjusted to the additional sunlight. She’d wanted to keep her arm around Myka all night but once the shaking subsided and she started sweating the fever out she moved away to give her some breathing room. At some point she moved to the chair after she tired of pacing the floor.

 “This isn’t your fault, you know.” Myka swung her legs off the side of the bed before standing up.

 Helena snapped her head around. Only Myka would know she would blame herself. Seeing those unruly curls even more out of control almost made her laugh. How could one woman be so breathtakingly beautiful when she was obviously so ill?

 After Myka shuffled into the bathroom, Helena picked up the discarded tissues and straightened the bed. She hadn’t noted the time until her stomach growled. According to the bedside clock it was nearly 1pm.

 Myka exited the bathroom and crossed in front of her to get back into the bed. The minty scent of Myka’s toothpaste lingered.

 “Do you feel like eating something? You really should consider it.” Helena wanted to reach out and push Myka’s curls over her shoulder. Any other time she would have stopped at just the thought or the want but considering what transpired between them the day before she didn’t stop herself.

 Myka, caught off guard, turned her head and brushed her cheek against Helena’s hand. Her mind instantly flashed back to their first meeting when Myka handcuffed Helena’s hands behind that chair and Helena purposefully ran her finger up Myka’s hand. Both of them noticed the electricity but ignored it or at least didn’t mention it.

 “Soup?”

 Myka nodded and then watched Helena call the restaurant down the street to order them soup for dinner or lunch or whatever time it was. The Brit shifted her weight from one leg to another. Her black hair laying flat against her strong back. The pink pajama pants, which she still had on, sat low on her narrow hips. Her bare toes twitching into the carpet.

 Feeling like her fever was coming back, Myka threw the covers off of her heated body. But her eyes never left Helena’s breathtaking figure.

 “Will you…” Helena turned around after hanging up the phone and caught Myka staring at parts of her body that were not near her eyes. She couldn’t help but smile and wait until Myka came back to reality.

 It took a few seconds for Myka to realize Helena was watching her and that her own eyes were focused elsewhere.  Myka shrugged and smiled. “Sorry but since I’ve kissed you…”

 “And I you…”

 “…I don’t have to sneak inconspicuous glances anymore, do I?”

 Helena bit her bottom lip before answering. “No, darling, you don’t.” She sat down on the bed next to Myka again placing a gentle hand on her bare knee. “Now, you need to rest and I’m going to pick up the soup. Will you be alright while I’m gone just a bit?”

 “Yeah I think I can handle it.”

 While Helena was gone Myka decided to take a hot bath. Every muscle and joint in her body ached from the illness. The hotel left a small sachet of lemongrass scented bath salts that she poured into the hot water. She must have soaked longer than she thought when she heard the room door click closed outside the bathroom.

 “Myka?” Helena called out when she didn’t see Myka in the bed. Panic struck.

 Myka smiled at the sound of her name coming from Helena especially when she inadvertently added an R at the end. “I’m taking a bath. I’ll be out in a minute.”

 “I’ve purchased us new clothes.” Helena announced outside the door once she’d recovered. She pushed open the door just enough to lay the new pajamas she’d bought for Myka on the counter. “I’ll lay these here for you.” Before she could stop herself, her eyes floated upwards to the reflection in the mirror to see Myka’s creamy skin glistening in the steamy water. She couldn’t see specific parts but just knowing… Stepping back, she closed the door before Myka could see her standing there and before she did something she shouldn’t; at least not yet.

 

* * *

 

“You look better.” Helena said between spoon fulls of warm chowder.  She’d noticed Myka was getting more of her color back and the congestion in her chest didn’t sound as bad.

 “Mmm. I feel better.”

 After finishing their meal they sat against the headboard of the bed and watched some mindless TV. Helena was in awe of what these boxes showcased. Not even sure what she was watching, she found she couldn’t take her eyes off of it. It wasn’t until sometime later that she realized Myka was staring at her.

 “This truly is amazing. These people risk life and limb for money or fame?”

 “It’s a game show, Helena, so probably both.” Myka cleared her throat. “So…” She waited until Helena turned to her and dropped her voice. “What do we do now?”

 “Well I thought we’d watch the rest of this program and then go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow if you’re feeling better we could get you some fresh air.” Helena knew that tone and knew what Myka was asking about but she thought she’d pretend just a little while. Have a little fun.

 “That’s not what I’m talking about.” She pushed the button on the remote to power off the television. Shifting to her right, she faced Helena in the bed. “I’m not ashamed of what I did.” Myka lifted her chin a tad higher. Never would she be ashamed of kissing her that day or any day for that matter.

 Helena couldn’t help but smirk. “I wouldn’t suspect you would be. Under all that toughness,” She twirled one of Myka’s brown curls around the end of her finger. “Is a very forthcoming woman.”

 This made Myka blush. No one had ever been able to see through her façade. No one until Helena.  

 “So what do we do now?” She asked again.

 “I wouldn’t be opposed to kissing you again.” Helena, the flirt, leaned in but was stopped by a held up hand.

 “I’m sick.”

 Helena pursed her smirking lips and thought just a second before proceeding. “I accept the risk.”

 Their warm, soft lips collided in a lazy, learning experience. The day before, Helena restrained her tongue but now she would explore feely. She’d long ached to taste the sweet flavor of Myka Bering. And as she drew the tip of her tongue ever so slowly along the underside of Myka’s top lip she knew she had fallen and there was no going back.

 

 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

Two days later, Myka was back to her old self and feeling 100 percent better. They were enjoying a lovely dinner at Vinoteca di Monica in the North End when Myka caught Helena staring at her from across the table.

"Is something wrong?" Myka asked after wiping her mouth with the corner of her napkin. She'd caught Helena staring at her several times already that day.

Helena was sitting back against the booth with her arms crossed over her chest. She hadn't taken a bite of food for awhile. Her words had to be chosen wisely.

"They need you."

Myka took a deep breath and sighed. "You don't know that." It took a very unique individual to be a warehouse agent and Myka was aware that she was one. It wasn't arrogance; it was just fact. And, truth be told, she missed it. She missed the camaraderie. She missed doing her job. The past week with Helena had been amazing. Beyond amazing. But something was still missing.

Helena hadn't informed Myka that Pete and Jane had both been communicating with her daily as to updates on Myka's situation. There was little to tell except that she was trying her best to ease Myka back. But she also knew Myka couldn't and wouldn't be pushed back.

"I do know that." Helena tilted her head to the side. "And you know it as well."

Myka turned away trying to hide the well of tears that formed in her eyes. Getting emotional was not something she was keen on but ever since watching Helena "blow up" in front of her very eyes, she'd been more sensitive than ever, understandably.

"Okay." Myka relented. "I'll go back but…I want to drive back. I'm not ready to end this."

Helena knew exactly what Myka meant by 'this' and she didn't want it to end either. They both knew that once they were back in South Dakota everything would be different.

Neither was sure exactly what they were but they weren't ready for it to be over especially since nothing had really started yet. It wasn't just a fling. There was so much invested already and so much left to explore.

They walked back to the hotel slowly enjoying the perfect New England night—the clear black sky above and right chill to the air. The conversation was light like during any other walk they'd taken until Helena tapped her fingernail into the palm of Myka's hand that hung between them. She let her nail linger before dragging it upwards to her wrist.

The electricity that sparked inside Myka sent a quiver from her head to her toes and all in between. A simple touch that wasn't so simple really.

She unwittingly held her breath and slowed her steps as Helena, painstakingly, drew the nail further up the underside of her arm to her elbow. Every cell in her awakened and her body reacted.

Beneath her lace-trimmed black bra, Myka's nipples hardened and it wasn't from the cool air outside. Helena's hand softly gripped around her upper arm and they continued to walk back to the hotel arm in arm.

Myka relished the feeling of them walking side-by-side like that and covered Helena's hand with her own. They said more in their touching and looks than they ever did with words.

A few hours later they were showered, tired and tucked into bed for the night. Nothing else had happened between them besides a quick good night kiss. For two adult, experienced women they didn't know how to proceed without potentially causing torrential damage to their already established friendship. It was a delicate situation to say the least.

"So tomorrow we head back?" Myka asked from her side of the bed.

"Yes." Helena cleared her throat. Several silent minutes passed.

"Helena?"

"Yes?"

Myka sighed heavily before continuing. "Come over here." She couldn't resist it anymore. There was a need inside her that only one certain gorgeous, genius, British lady could fulfill.

Helena hesitated only slightly before scooting closer to Myka. She wasn't sure what Myka wanted or expected and didn't touch her right away. For a while she lay on her side and just looked at Myka laying flat on her back beside her.

Helena had not been hesitant or bashful at all before in her life or previous life as it were. When she wanted something she went full force. This was different. Everything with Myka was different.

Finally she couldn't resist that soft, smooth, sweet smelling skin before her. Resting her head on her bent left arm she let the fingertips of her right hand trail slowly up Myka's thigh. She felt Myka's muscles flinch under her touch but that didn't stop her. Quite the contrary.

As her fingers glided over her hipbone, she worked her way under the edge of Myka's ribbed tank top and pressed her hand flat onto Myka's firm but supple stomach she heard the curly headed brunette take a sharp, quick breath. This made her smile even more.

Moving her hand ever so slowly higher she met the underside of Myka's breast and then it was Helena's turn to take an unexpected audible breath. Her thumb followed the curve of the right then the left breast. Taking her time, they had all the time in the world.

If Myka's body was reacting the way Helena's was she anticipated finding a very hard nipple as she inched her thumb higher and higher. Her conclusion was correct as Myka let out a small moan of pleasure when Helena rasped around it.

Helena almost had to bite her bottom lip to point of pain to keep from letting her inhibitions free and completely ravishing the beauty next to her.

As she continued to manipulate one glorious breast then the other, Helena noted the faint, yet distinctive scent of Myka's arousal. Or was it her own?

"Myka?"

Without words Myka grasped both sides of Helena's face and pulled the Brit to her. Their lips crushed together, tongues collided. In one quick move, Helena threw her leg over Myka and straddled her hips. Neither could get enough of the other.

Hands and mouths roamed free; pleasuring parts they didn't know were pleasurable. Clothes were strewn from one side of the bed to the other. There was no talking; only gasps and moans that sang in harmony. They knew what they both wanted and through their profound, unexplainable connection they knew what the other desired as well.

After what seemed like hours, they lay curled in each other's arms with their legs tangled together, breaths and heartbeats started to return to normal. Complete and utter satisfaction was an understatement. Everything had changed.

Helena leaned in and gently kissed Myka's lips, slightly tasting herself on them in the process.

"Good night, my love." She whispered against Myka's lips before both fell into a deep, contented sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun was barely peaking around the curtains when the buzzing of a cellphone snapped Myka out of the most relaxing sleep she'd had in years. She knew it wasn't her own because she'd turned her device off days ago.

She suddenly became aware of the body snuggled up to the front of hers. The phone beeped again but Helena didn't move. Myka knew she was still asleep by the deep slow breathing she felt against her chest.

Myka removed her left hand from Helena's waist and slid it over her velvety smooth bare hip. She'd caressed that same hip many times just hours before. But still the Brit didn't move. Helena was as stubborn in her sleep as she was awake.

With her chin she nuzzled a wayward strand of Helena's hair back so she could kiss the side of her neck and nibble the top of her shoulder. It didn't take much of that to bring Helena from her slumber.

"Mmmmm…" Helena stretched her body. She was acutely aware of the soft, warm lips on her neck and shoulder. Just as she was about to turn over to wrap her arms around Myka and continue what they started the previous night, she heard the familiar cellphone tone. "Bollocks", she cursed.

Helena scurried out of bed swiping the phone from the bedside table. Myka watched her naked body shuffle into the bathroom. She only heard Helena answer the phone; after that, the bathroom door was closed and the water of the shower was turned on drowning out any conversation she may overhear.

Flopping onto her back, Myka couldn't help by smile as the events of the previous night replayed in her head—from their arm-in-arm walk to a night of passion that went from slow, unsure touches to hurried, wanton advances. She could still feel Helena's skilled mouth all over her body. Her body began to heat and throb at the memory. No one had ever elicited such responses from her the way Helena had.

Moments later, Helena stomped out of the bathroom unabashedly naked and plopped down on the end of the bed. Her head hung low as she rubbed her hands together. "I've been instructed to promptly return." She spoke to the floor.

Myka crawled to the end of the bed where Helena was still fidgeting. "Is everything okay?"

Helena shrugged her drooping shoulders. "I suppose."

"I'm sure," Myka licked her lips before kissing the back of Helena's exposed neck, "they've been at a loss," kiss, "without their most," kiss, "intelligent", kiss, "and highly capable," kiss, "colleague."

Helena momentarily forgot about the Regents. The feeling of Myka's lips on her body was nothing like she had ever imagined. Turning slightly, she pulled Myka onto her lap. Her hands caressed her hips and behind while Myka shifted to straddle her legs. Helena looked upwards into Myka's heavy-lidded, soulful eyes before dipping her head to kiss and nip at first one breast then the other. Myka's fingers tugging gently at her hair only encouraged her more.

They fell back onto the bed in a fury of hands and legs and mouths. But Myka quickly slowed down their pace with an outstretched arm to Helena's chest.

Quizzically, Helena angled her head to the right silently questioning Myka's motives.

"We…we don't know what awaits us when we get back or what comes next so…" She didn't finish her sentence before gently kissing the corner of Helena's mouth then down to her chin. Dragging her bottom lip back up to Helena's mouth, she continued. "I want to get as much of you as I can."

"Agreed." Helena mumbled against the pair of lips that were having their way with her own. But her eyes flew back open when she felt Myka's hand suddenly and assuredly land between her legs. The saucy look Myka gave her was something she'd not seen from her before. She liked it. It turned her on. Very much on.

Three hours later they were at the airport arranging their flight back to the warehouse. It wasn't easy getting back to the middle of nowhere very fast. While they waited for the ticket agent to search available routes, Helena and Myka both tried not to think about what transpired between them the last few hours. But it was impossible. Every moment flashed through like a slow playing moving.

"Let's go first class." Helena said suddenly with a childlike enthusiasm. Of course she liked only the best.

"I'm pretty sure the Regents wouldn't approve of that."

"Myka, you just stayed in one of the most expensive hotels in Boston for over a week. And I'm fairly certain you can expense this escapade as a…psychological retreat."

Myka put her hands on her hips. "Whoa. I'm not crazy."

With a smile on her lips, Helena grasped both of Myka's hands into her own and rubbed the tops with her thumbs. "Is that a fact?" Helena smirked.

"Funny."

It was after dark when their second plane was nearing its final destination in South Dakota. There would still be at least an hour drive back to Leena's. Myka looked over at the sleeping Helena next to her. Her head was resting on the window and the thin airport blanket pulled up to her shoulders. She looked so innocent. Myka laughed to herself at that thought. Helena was anything but innocent.

After awhile she turned away hoping her staring wouldn't wake her. But it was hard not to look at her. She was beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful…inside and out. It was hard to imagine life before H.G. Wells, well the real H.G. Wells and not the illusionary literary H.G. Wells.

While waiting for the flight attendant to bring her the napkin she had quietly asked for, Myka rummaged around in her bag for a pen. She scribbled what had come to mind when she gazed over at Helena. It was something she'd read awhile back and suddenly it was very pertinent.

Just as she gently poked the crumpled paper into Helena's coat pocket, the plane lurched forward as it hit the pavement and Helena stirred awake. In a few hours they'd be back to how it was before and yet nothing would be like it was before.

They held hands the entire drive back to the Bed & Breakfast but didn't say much, although there was so much that needed to be said.

Myka drove the rented car slowly up the driveway and shut off the engine, but neither of them made a move to get out. The awkward silence hung heavy between them. They weren't ready for the unknown.

"Do we tell them?" Helena asked. She knew what answer she wanted to hear but despite knowing Myka as well as she did, she wasn't sure of the answer she would be given.

But the look that Myka gave her made her forget caring if anyone knew. Truthfully, she wanted to tell the world that she loved Myka and to Hell with anyone who had an issue with it. Helena placed an open hand on Myka's cheek and when she turned her face into her, Helena's heart melted again. The things that curly haired brunette did to her.

"I don't care what they think. I don't." Myka assured her. "But this…this is our thing. Everything in my life I have to share with these guys. I want something…one thing…that's just mine…ours. For awhile at least."

"Then it shall be." Helena looked out the window making sure the house and anyone peeking outside couldn't see them, before leaning forward and pressing her lips to Myka's. It was a kiss to last them a lifetime if necessary. A kiss forever burned into their memories.

There was a promise in that kiss that ran deeper than keeping their newfound relationship a secret.


	11. Chapter 11

Myka hesitantly put her hand on the front door knob but turned back to Helena, who was standing a few steps behind her, before opening it. Helena smiled and gave her an assuring nod. There was nothing to worry about.

Taking a deep breath, Myka pushed forward and entered her home. Because Colorado Springs wasn't her home anymore. Washington D.C. was never her home. This place was her home and these people were her family. And walking through that door put her face to face with people not afraid to tell her how selfish she was or not afraid to tell her to get out and never come back. She wouldn't blame them for either reaction.

The lump in the pit of her stomach grew with each inch the door opened. But when she fully stepped into the entryway and was almost immediately accosted by Leena then Claudia, she knew at least some people were okay with her being back. Then the whole gang greeted her with opened arms, which made her feel more comfortable than when she returned the last time. Soon everyone was circling Myka and Helena with warm hugs and, of course, a multitude of questions.

They didn't even get to make their way into the living room when Mrs. Frederick stepped around the corner with her customary emotionless expression.

"Agent Wells, it's time to go."

Myka whipped around. "What?! We just got back." She never expected they would take Helena away that quickly but she should have known.

"Her job here is done." Mrs. Frederick locked eyes with Helena, who clenched her jaw shut in an effort not to say something she shouldn't. Enough had already been said.

Myka refocused her gaze onto to Helena at her side. "Job?" Helena nearly broke at the sight of a clearly dejected Myka. Myka opened her mouth to ask 100 questions but her mind went blank. Everything went blank. She could only stand on weak legs staring at the person, the one person, she trusted completely. She shook her head, ashamed of herself for being so naive.

Mrs. Frederick held open the front door and waited for Helena to follow her to the waiting car outside. Peering into Myka's saddened, tear-filled eyes, Helena tried to convey her apologies and an unspoken explanation. "Myka…" She started as she stood in the doorway.

Myka only shook her head and turned away.

In the car, Helena reached in her coat pocket for a tissue to blot away the salty despair on the verge of overflowing. Unfolding the rough paper, she noticed the writing…Myka's writing.

"The seeker embarks on a journey to find what he wants and discovers, along the way, what he needs."

She re-read the words three times as the silent tears broke their dam.

"Wait." She ordered the driver to stop the car.

Mrs. Frederick turned from the front seat. "Is there a problem?"

Helena looked back towards the house. It took everything in her to not throw open the car door, run back to the house and take Myka into her arms, no matter who was looking, and tell her she was sorry and loved her more than she'd loved anyone aside from Christina.

But she didn't. She only lowered her chin and shook her head 'no' as the car continued on. Reading the handwritten quote one more time, Helena ran her fingertips of the letters.

After Helena and Mrs. Frederick left that evening, Myka pretended to enjoy her dinner but excused herself early. She didn't want to be around anyone.

Myka lay across her bed that night unable to fall asleep. She hadn't really tried. Her mind was replaying the past days in Boston with Helena. In retrospect she should have asked Helena if they had sent her to bring her back. But she had been so overwhelmingly happy and everything had been so perfect that it never crossed her mind that Helena may have been using her charms to persuade her to return to the warehouse on orders of the Regents.

Eventually she must have cried herself to sleep because she woke up the next morning in all her clothes and a sore neck. Checking her cellphone before heading to the shower, she saw 3 texts and 1 missed call from Helena.

Myka, I do apologize.

Everything isn't what it appears.

Please ring me back when you are prepared to hear my side of this story. I deserve that at the very least.

She neither called nor texted Helena back. She wasn't ready. Not yet. Helena's explanation did deserve to be heard, she knew, but she still needed time. And it was time for her to get back to work.

Later that evening when everyone was back at the B&B, Myka stayed at the warehouse to do some inventory that was months behind. It kept her busy. It was difficult but she'd kept her mind off of Helena all day. But as the night wore on and everyone was gone, she couldn't help but think of the woman who took her breath away. As upset as she was, Myka couldn't deny her feelings for Helena. Helena had filled a void in her that Myka didn't even know was there.

Sitting on the balcony overlooking the warehouse, Myka rested her arms and chin on the bottom rail as her legs swung free over the ledge. For the first time in her life, she realized, she was truly, wholly, in love. But why did love have to be so damned complicated?

The door opened behind her but she didn't turn around to see who it was. But in her peripheral she saw Pete sit down beside her and mirror her position. They'd sat together on the ledge many times before. It had become their place to talk and hash things out without an audience or any of Pete's antics or jokes…usually.

"Hey." He said after a few moment.

"Hey." She gave him a tight smile that never came close to reaching her eyes.

"So…you okay?"

Her eyes immediately gravitated to the H.G. Wells section of the warehouse and her heart skipped a beat. She wasn't okay but she nodded 'yes' anyway even though she knew he didn't believe her.

"Good 'cuz Claudia is awesome and Jinx is Jinx but…"

Myka smiled at Pete's obvious attempt at saying he missed working with her. "But?" She egged him on.

"You know, Mykes, no one is as good as you are at making me look good."

Myka rolled her eyes and sighed at Pete's joke.

"No one else can take your bullshit like me either."

They sat like that for at least another hour catching up on the goings on at the warehouse and such. But Myka never mentioned her time away and Pete didn't ask. He knew she would talk when and if she was ready.

When they pulled up to the B&B and got out of the car, Pete stopped quickly in his tracks and stuck his nose into the air.

"What? Did you get a vibe?" Myka asked curiously.

"No. Chocolate chip cookies!" He practically ran into the house.

"Seriously." Myka shook her head but smiled that things hadn't changed. Not that she expected them to.

When Pete bound into the dining room with Myka hot on his heels, he immediately zoned into the plate of stacked, warm, homemade cookies. But Myka noticed Mrs. Frederick standing in the corner and she looked around for Helena, soon realizing she wasn't there. It was probably a good thing since she wasn't sure what she would say or do if she had been there.

"We may have been compromised." Artie said in his doomsday tone.

Mrs. Frederick stepped further into the room. "Someone has been following Agent Wells. We don't know who or what they want."

"Is she okay?" Myka asked without thinking. If something had happened to Helena she didn't know what she would do. She wasn't sure of anything anymore. She instantly regretted not returning Helena's phone call or texts.

"H.G. is fine…for now. She's been moved to a safe house for the time being until this is all sorted out." Artie overlooked Myka's concern.

Myka stood listening to what Mrs. Frederick and Artie had to say but her mind was elsewhere. Fiddling with the phone in her pocket, Myka eased out of the room and headed upstairs to her room.

She missed the instruction that there was to be no attempted communication with H.G. Wells.


	12. Chapter 12

Remember, all mistakes, typos, storyline, etc., are mine and mine alone.

Oh and if you've not read any of my stories before, you're probably aware now that I tend to draw things out and make things complicated and leave a few cliffhangers. That's just how I do things...all I can say is stay tuned...

 

 

Myka was dialing Helena's number before she even reached her room. The line wasn't answered until after she'd closed and locked her door behind her. Privacy was a hot commodity at the inn.

"You don't follow directions very well, do you, darling?" Helena laughed on the other end. She'd been informed that, due to the unknown tracker, communication with anyone at the warehouse was to cease immediately. But when she saw Myka's number appear on her phone, she couldn't refuse answer it. If only just to hear her voice.

"Are you okay?" Myka asked with a concerned but hardened, hurried tone.

"You need to hear my side. Please." Helena waited for Myka to argue with her but she heard nothing but muffled shuffling in the background. She could picture Myka pacing around her small room, idly twirling loose curls around her fingers. "Yes, I was instructed to find you and bring you back to the warehouse." She heard Myka take a breath but continued on. "But it was never my intention to merely kidnap you and force your return. Your well-being was my only concern." She paused again waiting for a response but received none. "If you will recall, I simply opened the door to your return. You made the decision. Myka, are you there?"

"Yeah." Her voice cracked so she cleared her throat. "Yes, I'm here."

"You must believe me. Not a second of the time we spent together was done with malicious intent. I'd…give anything to be back there with you again now."

Myka sighed into the phone. "I do believe you, Helena. It's just…" She didn't know how to finish her thought in a coherent sentence.

"I enjoy hearing you say my name." Helena's voice dropped low as she practically whispered into the phone.

"Helena." Myka sighed, a little perturbed that Helena was trying to turn the conversation. Of course she wasn't surprised. Helena usually got her way when it came to such things…most things.

"Yes, like that." The Brit practically moaned.

Just as Myka was about to call Helena on her mischievousness, the line went dead. She immediately tried to reconnect. It wasn't an infrequent occurrence for cell service to be dropped in The Middle Of Nowhere, South Dakota. But neither of her two tries was successful. And trying through text wasn't successful either.

Helena shook the silly device in her hand. Of course it would falter at that moment. After attempting to dial Myka back, and even Pete, she gave up when every one failed. She immediately began worrying about someone, some unknown assailant, apprehending Myka, or worse, because of her.

The Regents had taken her somewhere she'd never been before. She wasn't even sure where she was. Her mind tried to feel the route as she was blindfolded for their journey but due to her unfamiliarity with the area she wasn't able to decipher where they were transporting her. Mrs. Frederick stated it was for her own welfare as well as that of the others but Helena had her doubts.

Myka ran down the stairs with her phone still in hand. "Something is wrong! I was talking to H.G. and…"

Mrs. Frederick had a look that could have killed but the tone of her voice was as even as it always was. "Were you not listening when I gave one order and one order only?"

With eyes wide open, Myka shook her head. "I didn't."

Artie slammed his open palm onto the wooden table. "You have put everyone in danger!"

"Artie, I didn't hear that. I'm…"

"You didn't hear because you were only thinking of yourself. Is it too much to ask that everyone around here act like adults once in awhile?!" Artie was mad; madder than she'd ever seen before. He, with Mrs. Frederick following, stormed out the back door before she could respond.

The group of four stood around staring at each other with mouths agape and eyes wide open. Myka really didn't intend to put anyone in danger.

"Pete?" She looked to her buddy to offer something…anything.

"Don't worry, Mykes, we've got this. They don't call us the A-Team for nothing." He shot a pointed yet facetious look to Claudia and Steve who just glared back.

"But, Pete, what if it's not H.G. they're after? What if it's one of us or Artie and they're just using her…" Her voice trailed off as she started to pace mindlessly around the room.

"I'm sure the Regents have her well-guarded, Myka." Steve, the level-headed one.

"But we're talking about H.G. Can anyone really guard her…if she doesn't want to be?" Claudia, the wise one.

"Yeah. Yeah! You know how stubborn she is." Myka didn't wait for any other advice or comforting words or speculative scenarios. She headed back upstairs to her room for another round of futile efforts to contact Helena. If the damage had already been done…

Not an hour later, a heavy hand pounded on her door startling her from staring at the wall in front of her. In the quiet room, she'd lapsed into memories of their time in Boston and before. If anything happened to Helena now she didn't know what she would do. If their bond wasn't strong before, it certainly was now.

"Come in." She said loudly after the second knock.

Pete came in with one hand covering his face but with his fingers spread wide over his eyes so he could see. Myka simply raised her eyebrow and waited for him to speak. That "seeing naked things" joke was getting a bit tiresome.

"We've been quarantined. But not like cool quarantined where we have to wear gas masks and bio suits."

"What does that mean?"

"Well…I guess it means we're just regular quarantined."

Myka sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.

"Mrs. F. said we couldn't leave here unless it was to the warehouse and someone had to be with us and we had to sign out and I kinda spaced out after that."

"What about Hel…what about H.G.?"

"No one said but I'm sure she's okay, Mykes. She's kind of an old lady, I think she can handle herself. She's…seasoned." Pete could see the distress on Myka's face and of course he tried to lighten the moment with a joke. But he also knew Myka and H.G. had a special kind of friendship and he was glad his friend had someone she cared about so much.

Three mornings later they were all sitting around the dining table. Pete was fork-first into a syrupy mound of hot pancakes; the others were idly pushing food around their plates. Three days they'd been on quarantine and the natives were getting restless…well except for Pete. He pretty much just ate all day.

Mrs. Frederick hadn't been back since they'd been put in house arrest so they were somewhat surprised to see her walk through the back door.

"Can we go back to work yet?" Claudia whined. She'd been allowed back to the warehouse only a few times but she missed her gadgets and…well, she missed the warehouse.

"There is a new item of concern. Agent Wells is missing."


	13. Chapter 13

Short but wasn't sure where I was going after 12...this is another diving board so...here we go...for a few chapters at least. :)

 

Helena woke from her temporary, captor-induced unconsciousness in a familiar place. She blinked her blurry eyes repeated to try and focus her surroundings. Looking around it was like she had been transported back in time, oddly ironic as it were. Still groggy from whatever they gave her, Helena set up on the edge of the bed and picked up the book from the side table.

She smiled at the recognition. This had been her room during Warehouse 12, and it was in the exact same condition as she'd left it. Of course, she was aware of the Personal Quarters Archive but to actually be in her old room was almost unfathomable. Her clothes still hung neatly in the wardrobe. The wooden desk in the corner still had her pen and inkwell atop along with the handwritten details of the last project she was working on.

Tugging open the bottom drawer Helena reached into the far back for something she knew was there. She'd look at it every day during her stay. The scent of the old wood tickled the back of her throat. But it was the old photo of her Christina grinning happily with not a care in the world that brought the tears to her eyes. She ran her fingers over the young girl's face remembering how she felt-how soft her skin was, how innocent she was, how beautiful and smart she was.

But quickly reality hit and she was brought back to her senses. The Regents had her held captive in her own room, inside the warehouse. For her own safety. They had said.

Helena accepted her fate…for the time being.

She was the model prisoner happily accepting the food provided to her by some unknown person, quietly reading her old books and documents. But all the while, her brain churned and after three days she finally figured out an escape route. Many years before she had installed such an exit route, but it had been quite complicated so that only she would be able to put just the right pieces together to make it work properly.

There was hardly time to relish in her talents and intellect although she was quite impressed even with her own fortitude.

"What do you mean 'missing'?" The myriad of emotions flew through Myka's body. Tears welled in her eyes but she wasn't sure if they were tears of sadness, fear, or anger.

Mrs. Frederick and Artie ignored the question.

"You should have bronzed her like I suggested." Artie was pacing the small room obviously deep in strategic thinking.

"Wait…what? You were going to bronze her? Again?" Myka was practically dumbfounded by that revelation. How could they do that to another human being? She is one of them. Their colleague. Their friend. Her…

"Yeah, that's kinda harsh." Claudia wasn't one to keep her mouth shut either.

"It would have been for her safety as well as for your own." Mrs. Frederick answered.

"If…if you let something happen to her again…" Myka couldn't finish that thought – her voice cracked. She didn't want to. She shouldn't have raised her voice to Mrs. Frederick but it was the reaction. The emotions.

"Anything that has happened to Agent Wells has been by her own hand."

Myka couldn't believe that Mrs. Frederick was downplaying the whole situation. Helena could be in serious danger and she was being blamed for whatever misfortune fell on her?

"I don't think you're being very fair." Myka asserted, and stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips.

She was basically being held captive in her own home. And they were supposedly the best "special agents" in the world and yet they weren't being allowed to find one of their own. Her brain couldn't process what was really happening.

"Artie, I want to go to the warehouse." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow but even he could sense the seriousness of her tone. "Alone. I…I just need to clear my head. Okay?" He softened slightly. "Please."

The warehouse was quieter as usual; there was almost a ghost-like air about. Myka stood on the balcony overlooking the vast "empire". So many things in her life had changed since meeting Helena and more so since their journey in Massachusetts. It seemed like every time something good happened to her something equally or devastatingly bad occurred in return. How did the saying go…one step forward, two steps back? The story of her life, it seemed.

Unsurprisingly, she wandered to the section she was most comfortable in and the section she needed to be in at that moment.

Myka knew the H.G. Wells section by heart but that never kept her away. It was her own personal sanctuary. A place she could feel like herself and a place she could feel closer to Helena. The painful knot in her stomach wouldn't go away and she knew it wouldn't until Helena was found.

She thought more than once about trying to escape to find her herself but knew the Regents would soon have her punished. But any punishment wouldn't be as harsh as not having Helena in the world…in her life.

Despite her sadness, Myka smiled as her fingers danced over the top of the Grappling Hook box. Her mind immediately remembered the note Helena had first stuck inside the box. The same note she now carried with her every day.

She opened the box at the memory, and positioned just inside was a folded piece of paper she wasn't expecting. The paper was of heavy stock and yellowed. Clearly, it was old.

Her heartbeat increased rapidly as she slowly unfolded the note. And written with flourish only a perfect, age-old fountain pen and, an even more perfect, 19th century genius could master…

You have been the last dream of my soul.


	14. Chapter 14

Oh and this is it for this story. Thanks for reading. You all are the best! Seriously.

 

The origin of the quote didn't register right away. Myka could only soak in the realization that Helena was alright and, apparently, in the warehouse or had been in the warehouse. Resting her back against the metal of the shelving, she closed her eyes and let all the emotions that had built up flow freely down her cheeks.

After a few minutes, she composed herself and reread the note.

You have been the last dream of my soul.

Was Helena opening her heart? Myka didn't know; but then all of a sudden it hit her. She'd read that book dozens of times but what did it have to do with her or them?

"A Tale of Two Cities." She said it out loud a few times trying to connect the link. The soles of her boots scuffed the concrete floor as Myka paced around with the quote playing again and again in her head.

Myka stopped in her tracks. "Charles Dickens." She started running clearly with a goal in mind.

If she wasn't right about this then she'd wasted a lot of unnecessary time but what other option did she have? The quote gave her nothing and neither did the book title. It took some navigating but finally she made it to the location that housed Charles Dickens' Badminton Racket.

Myka smiled when she pulled the tented note card from the shelf. Her guess was right. Helena was playing a game with her. She'd never had anyone else in her life who could appreciate her love of literature and also tease her with it.

She giggled aloud after reading the printed words.

Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter

Racing to her next artifact, Myka instantly saw another identical note waiting for her in front of Beatrix Potter's Tea Set. She took a moment to catch her breath before opening the card. With each note she felt herself getting closer and closer to her goal.

But our love was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we

Of many far wiser than we

And neither the Angels in heaven above,

Nor the demons down under the sea,

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful…

With eyes blinking and mouth ajar, Myka finished the line in her head. …Annabel Lee.

But she knew Helena wasn't talking about Annabel Lee or Edgar Allan Poe. Her heart beat rapidly. The words read like a song. She needn't read the words. They were already etched in her mind and now in her heart. Those words were for her from her love.

Love.

Moistened eyes widened, Myka finally allowed herself to realize that she was in love with Helena. Completely, utterly, truly in love and had been for a long time.

She stuffed the note card in the pocket of her jeans along with the rest of them and raced to her next destination. It took longer than expected to make her way to the aisle housing Edgar Allan Poe's Quill Pen and Notebook.

Rounding the corner, Myka slid to a halt. Leaning against the shelf with a smirk that made Myka's knees go weak, Helena waited. Myka unashamedly let her eyes rove the Brit's body.

The black pants that she was wearing accentuated her thin but muscular legs. The white button up shirt hung loose over her hips with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. With her arms crossed over each other, the two opened buttons at the top of the shirt hinted at the valley of cleavage underneath. Cascades of black hair draped over her shoulders. Myka could feel her heart thumping in her throat.

Myka took long, purposeful strides until there were mere inches between them. Their eyes searched deep within each other until Myka's hands grasped the sides of Helena's face and like a magnet their lips connected in a hot, ferocious kiss. It was an "I'm really glad to see you" kiss. It was an "I've missed the hell out of you" kiss. It was a "don't ever scare me like that again" kiss.

It was a "you're mine" kiss.

After an insurmountably long time reconnecting, quite literally, Helena took Myka's hand and scurried down the aisle. Myka's brown curls bounced enthusiastically as the smile grew on her lips. The same lips that still tingled from moments before.

"Where are we going!?" Myka asked from behind Helena.

Helena didn't turn around or slow down but Myka could hear the smile in her voice. "You'll see, my darling."

Finally, Helena stopped just in front of the H.G. Wells section of the warehouse. Myka bent over at the waist and rested her hands on her knees while she caught her breath. When she looked up she saw Helena flat on her back rummaging underneath an old writing desk. The desk was familiar since she'd frequented the section many times. But Helena was clearly looking for something that only she knew about.

Myka watched her for a few minutes…taking drawers apart, removing hardware, turning two of the ornate legs. It reminded her of the day she first met H.G. Wells in London and was tasked with locating the hidden key.

She stared with her arms crossed and held tilted to the right. It was rare lately that she got to observe Helena so pursuant over something, and, actually, it was quite a turn on to tell the truth.

"Ah ha!" Helena exclaimed from underneath the desk.

The words caused Myka's eyes to rise from their focus on Helena's sinewy legs. She couldn't see what Helena had found.

Helena stood before Myka still with dust on her clothing and in her hair, but she wasn't bothered by such. Her hands were clenched shut between them. Myka stared at Helena's hands which to her surprise were shaking just a bit.

Helena cleared her throat and spoke softly and thoughtfully. "This time we've shared together, even when we were apart, has been…lovely." Helena paused to collect the appropriate words.

Myka lowered her head enough to try and look into Helena's downcast eyes. Butterflies flitted about her stomach. Her instinct was to detect a "but" at the end of Helena's sentence. She braced herself for the worst.

"Helena?" Myka quietly urged her to continue.

With moisture brimming the edges, Helena's coal dark eyes finally looked up into Myka's. The sigh that escaped her lips only caused Myka more angst.

"But…"

Myka tried swallowing the lump in her suddenly dry throat.

"But I want more…"

Not completely understanding where this was going, Myka furrowed her brow.

"With you. I want more with you. I want us." Helena held open her hands and in one palm laid an old, black skeleton key no bigger than an inch long. "When I was at Warehouse 12, everything I held dear to me was locked inside of a box that only I was aware." She held the key between her thumb and index finger. "This key unlocked it."

Myka couldn't find the words…any words at the moment. She could only continue to stare at the tiny piece of iron in Helena's palm as her love's word soaked into her mind and body.

Helena continued. "No more obstacles, Myka." She gently lifted Myka's chin so to look into her eyes and make her intentions clear. "No more pasts, no more distance, no more being leery of consequences from the Regents. Only us. Together." Helena paused hoping her leap of faith didn't leave her landing face first on the floor. "Do you want that, darling?"

Myka shook her head slowly. "That's all I've ever wanted. And all that I ever need."


End file.
